1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a combination of a magnetic head and a magnetic head supporting device comprising a thin film magnetic head and a magnetic head supporting member.
2. DISCUSSION OF BACKGROUND
In a combination of the magnetic head and the magnetic head supporting device of this type (hereinafter, referred to as a magnetic head supporting device), the following requirements have to be satisfied in order that the thin film magnetic head can follow tracks formed in a surface of the magnetic disk with a predetermined small gap. Namely, a slider of the magnetic head holding reading/writing elements undergoes a pitching motion with respect to a first axis and a rolling motion with respect to a second axis which perpendicularly intersects the first axis to thereby remove uneven swinging motions. Such a magnetic head supporting device is disclosed, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,641, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,765.
The conventional magnetic head supporting device disclosed in the above mentioned publications is generally constructed as follows. A supporter comprising a resilient spring portion and a rigid beam portion formed integrally with the resilient spring portion is formed of a resilient metal plate such as a stainless steel plate. A flexible member formed also of a resilient metal plate such as stainless steel is attached to a free end of the supporter. A loading projection is provided either on the upper surface of the flexible member or on the lower surface of the supporter at a position near the free end so that a load is applied from the free end of the supporter to the flexible member. Then, a thin film magnetic head which holds a slider having reading/writing elements, is attached to the lower surface of the flexible member.
There has been known, as a magnetic head used in combination with a magnetic head supporting member, a flying type thin film magnetic head which floats with a space by a minute air bearing to a magnetic recording medium by utilizing a dynamic pressure resulting when the magnetic recording medium is moved. Such a flying type magnetic head is disclosed in, for instance, IBM Disk Storage Technology (February 1980), p. 6-9. As the basic construction disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,130,847, 4,218,715 and 4,210,853, reading/writing elements are formed in the end portion at the side of air flow of a slider having an air bearing surface which faces the magnetic recording medium.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a conventional thin film magnetic head as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,219,854, 4,219,855 and 4,190,872, wherein a reference numeral 1 designates a slider composed of, for instance, ceramics and numerals 2A, 2B designate reading/writing elements. The slider 1 is provided with a pair of rail portions 101, 102 with a space therebetween at the surface facing a magnetic recording medium wherein the surfaces of the rail portions are finished as air bearing surfaces 103, 104 having high flatness. The air bearing surfaces 103, 104 are respectively provided with taper portions 103a, 104a at their one end portions which constitute air flowing ends with respect to an air flow which flows in the direction of an arrow mark a, in association with the magnetic recording medium. The reading/writing elements 2A, 2B are respectively thin film magnetic head elements prepared in accordance with the same process as an IC manufacturing technology, and the reading/writing elements are respectively formed at the air discharging end portion which opposes the taper portions 103a, 104a.
A numeral 3 designates a protective film of alumina or the like which covers the reading/writing elements 2A, 2B. Numerals 41A, 42A are bonding pads for the reading/writing element 2A, and numerals 41B, 42B designate bonding pads for the reading/writing element 2B. The bonding pads are formed on the protective film 3 at the same end surface as the end surface where the reading/writing elements 2A, 2B are formed. The bonding pads 41A, 42A, 41B, 42B are electrically connected to conductor coils for the reading/writing elements, and lead wires for a magnetic disk apparatus (not shown) are connected to the bonding pads.
In the magnetic head supporting device of this kind, there is the trend of miniaturization in order to comply with a demand of high density and high speed magnetic recording. The miniaturization of the thin film magnetic head is effective to reduce a flying height necessary for the high density recording and to reduce a spacing loss. Further, it is advantageous to increase the resonance frequency in association with the magnetic head supporting device, to eliminate crushing and to improve durability. Further, an appropriate balance is obtainable between the dynamic pressure and the pressure of a supporting spring and the posture of the magnetic head can be properly maintained, whereby stable flying characteristics can be obtained. Further, reduction in the mass of the magnetic head obtained by the miniaturization increases a speed for the accessing movement of the magnetic head supporting device.
In the thin film magnetic head used for the conventional magnetic head supporting device, however, since the bonding pads 41A, 42A, 41B, 42B were formed in the end surface in which the reading/writing elements were also formed, there was a restriction by a space where the bonding pads 41A, 42A, 41B, 42B were to be installed.